5. The shoe fit a lot better than I’d anticipated. #2
“It’s easy to treat a dog, and if you have the certification for human-level treatment, we can show you how it’s done if you pick up any other strays you think might have rabies.”
Double score. That would save me a lot of time and hassle. “That would be marvelous, thank you. What’s this going to ding me?”
“The treatment for rabies takes an hour and costs six hundred. The first round of vaccinations will cost you seventy-five. The exam fee is waived since you’re doing a rabies treatment.”
Ouch. My wallet already whimpered, but there wasn’t anything I could do about it. “Okay. How much for everything else? Do you sell collars and leashes?”
He chuckled. “We have everything you need, don’t worry. For food and all the extras, it’ll be a few hundred dollars. In good news, you’re saving a few hours and one-fifty avoiding the rabies test.”
“With my luck, it’s definitely rabid.”
“Four of five rescues lately have been. There’s concern a feral cat colony or dog pack is spreading the virus; domestic pets are all vaccinated, but the feral colonies can spread rabies horrifically quick, and there’s just too many of them to vaccinate.
So far, it doesn’t seem to have hit the wild deer populations hard, but it’s only a matter of time.
” The old man, with his salt and pepper hair falling into his eyes, reached for his phone and pressed a button.
“Dr. Sennets to reception: we’ve got a probable rabies case. ”
“I should tell my husband I’ll be frothing at the mouth within a month. Hey, do you do hooves and claws here?”
“Of course, ma’am. What animals would need to be groomed?”
“Me. I transform, and my claws and hooves could use a look. If you have a bored groomer…”
He laughed. “We do. Let’s get your puppy treated first, and then we can take care of your hooves and claws. We need to decontaminate your clothing anyway, so if you transform, that’ll give us a chance to make sure the virus doesn’t spread.”
“You’re a lifesaver.”
A startling young woman in a doctor’s coat and armed with elbow-length gloves strode to the desk. Smiling, she took my puppy from my arms. “I’ll bring your puppy back to you in an hour or two.”
“Can I pay you extra for grooming?”
“That’s already included in the price, ma’am. It’s part of the rabies treatment. Austin, if you’d handle her clothing, please?”
“Before you go, do you know what breed it is?”
“He’s a husky, ma’am. Possibly a purebred. I’d have run a DNA test to be certain, but those eyes scream husky, as does his build. He’s probably around three months old, but I’ll know more when I do a proper examination.”
“How much for the DNA test?”
“Fifty. We have a basic machine here, and it doesn’t take long to do the scan. It won’t tell me more than if he’s a purebred and base breed, but it’s sensitive enough to identify a purebred. If he’s a purebred, I can write up a certificate for you.”
“Add it to my bill, please.”
She nodded, smiled again, and walked away with my puppy.
“If you’ll come with me, ma’am?” The receptionist rose from his seat. “We’ll handle the required paperwork after we’re certain you can’t spread the virus.”
I grinned. “I can’t wait to tell my husband about this.”
He’d be thrilled. Not. Unfortunately for him, when it came to puppies, dumpsters, and contracting rabies, I refused to be sorry.
Quinn
Most of the time, very little of my wife’s emotions bled through our bracelets, but a flash of anger caught my attention before it ebbed to soothing glee. Glee could mean many things. What, I wasn’t sure.
No, I knew.
Trouble.
Glee plus Bailey equaled trouble, always.
I gave in to the inevitable and laughed.
“What’s so funny?” Perkins eyed the package sitting on the kitchen counter, a gift wrapped in red and green. He eyed me, lifted the box, and frowned. The way he carried it implied it had some heft to it, and he carried it to the living room before setting it down and resuming his circling.
As I found his odd investigation of my gift amusing, I let him examine it some more. I’d get to opening it eventually.
He sighed, nudging the box with his toe. “I don’t have any idea what this could be. She gave you coal. That’s my final guess.”
She would just so I’d feed it to her. “Something annoyed Bailey, but now she’s alarmingly happy. While I’m happy she’s happy, she—”
My phone rang, and Bailey’s new number greeted me. I grinned and answered, “Hello, my beautiful.”
“I got rabies again!”
For fuck’s sake. “Really?”
“And possibly tetanus, the black plague, and whatever else I can contract while dumpster diving. This time, you can’t stop me.”
My eyes widened. When Bailey went dumpster diving, she did so for one reason: a dog or cat needed her help.
I twisted around to gape at Sunny, who slept on her new bed covered with Bailey’s favorite throw blanket.
No matter what I said, I lost. I could earn some affection, gratitude, and a dog’s lifetime of work with one choice.
One choice that wasn’t even a choice at all, not when she sounded so excited and had gathered the courage to be assertive.
Damnit.
I’d have to beg Falhavert to train a second dog.
“Okay. I love you. Please be properly treated for rabies and any other disease you picked up while dumpster diving. What breed?”
“Rabid.”
I sighed, wondering what good yet terrible deeds I’d done in some previous life to deserve Bailey. “Bailey.”
“Soon to be not rabid.”
“That’s a little better,” I conceded, although I worried about her reasons for evading my question.
“My puppy is white, and he has one blue eye and one green eye.”
The husky commentary began to make alarming sense, as I was willing to bet one of my nosy relatives had been snooping into the future again. “All right. Since you’re getting a puppy for Christmas, I have a favor to ask of you.”
“A favor? From me? What do you need?”
“Your asshole boss is transferring you, I’ve known for too long, and I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner.”
Perkins sighed, shook his head, and shot me a look promising that I’d just created a disaster on par with my wife’s troubles.
“I’m being transferred?”
“In good news, the transfer comes with a huge raise.”
Bailey sucked in a breath. “I’m getting a raise?”
“You are,” I purred to her, grateful I wasn’t quite human. “You’re also getting a good work schedule that will closely match mine.” By closely I meant exactly, but I wasn’t going to tell her that yet.
She squealed. “No more shit schedules where we don’t see each other for days sometimes?”
“That’s right.”
“I can get eight hours of uninterrupted sleep?”
Ah-ha. Mystery solved. “Would my beautiful like some more sleep? Your wish is granted.” I smirked. “Most nights.”
“I won’t be a mooch?”
I rolled my eyes at that. “You’re not a mooch, Mrs. Millionaire. Really. But you’ll find your salary rather comparable to mine.”
Her squeal almost ruptured my eardrum. “Salary?!”
“You won’t be working for the CDC anymore, but you’ll still classify as a specialist and retain your certifications. Your bastard boss figured out how to transfer you without consulting you about it. I’m sorry. I should have told you sooner.”
“But what will I do? I know how to make coffee and deal with toxic magical bullshit,” she whispered.
“I have another confession,” I admitted.
“What is it?”
“While I didn’t get her from a dumpster, there’s a puppy in our living room, and she’s sleeping with your favorite throw.
I’m bad at following instructions. I interpreted your list to mean ‘I want a puppy.’ So, when a puppy crossed my path, I surrendered without a fight.
Her name is Sunny, and I’ve been told she’ll always love you more than she loves me. ”
Bailey sucked in a breath. “But I got one, too.”
“We can keep both,” I promised. “You wanted one badly enough to risk rabies again, and I already broke the no-puppy rule, so we’re even.”
There was a long moment of silence, and then my wife whispered, “Can I get you a kitten if I can find one?”
When Bailey had discovered I loved cats, a secret passion I’d made certain no one knew about to avoid the ruthless teasing of my officers, she’d gotten a wistful expression on her face.
She loved animals.
I smiled. “Okay, Bailey. Why not? When are you coming home?”
“I don’t know. I left Perkette to be booked for brassault. It’ll take two hours for the vet to finish with my puppy, and they do hooves and claws here. I’m getting groomed!”
“Just make sure your new puppy can tolerate fire-breathing unicorns.”
“I will.”
“Call me if you have any problems,” I ordered.
“What’s my new job?”
“You’ll find out when you come home, Mrs. Chief Quinn.”
“A hint?”
I smirked, as I’d already given her one. “You’ll find out soon, I’m sure. If you’re not home by morning, I’m going to chase and catch you, and I’ll enjoy every minute of it. Please run with your puppy.”
Perkins choked on his laughter.
“Can you take a picture of Sunny for me, please?”
“Of course. Every day until you surrender and meet her,” I replied. “Just be careful, okay? If any gorgons bother you, pop one of your pills, torch them, and claim their whelps.”
“Quinn!”
“What?”
“That’s illegal.”
“Actually, it’s not. You’re my bride, and if any gorgon other than me tries to touch you, you’re within your legal rights to torch them. And you get first crack at any whelps.”
Her sigh implied she’d reached the end of her rope. “Quinn.”
One more tug wouldn’t hurt. “It’s true. As you’re my bride, a queen as far as I’m concerned, should a gorgon try anything, self-defense is legal. Gorgon law states a threatened bride may defend herself. Death—theirs—is perfectly acceptable.”
Bailey laughed. “You’re a terrible cop.”
“Sometimes.” I relaxed for the first time since finding out the Dover hive had their sights on her. “So. I take it Tiffany’s keeping you for the night.”
“Maybe.” She drawled out the word.